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“The Conclave to elect the new pope has begun. At 4:30 p.m. Rome time (11:30 EDT) the cardinals, two by two, chanting the Litany of the Saints, entered the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace. Now, we keenly feel the anticipation of the white smoke coming from the Vatican that will indicate that a new pontiff has been selected ... ”

“There is another March coming to Washington, D.C., and this one may be equally as important as the March for Life that occurs every January. This is the march for traditional marriage: one man, one woman. As we know too well, so goes the family so goes the culture, and what can destabilize a society more than dismantling its foundational institution of marriage? ... ”

“As the saying goes, time sure does fly. Lent has almost come, and it is time to reflect on our Lenten devotions and the mercy of God. For those of us with children, it can be difficult to know how to explain Lent. As adults, we are capable of understanding the suffering that Christ experienced and we spend the time between Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday thanking Christ for His sacrifice and mercy, trying to atone for our sins and following the Lenten pillars of prayer, sacrifice, and almsgiving. For children, it can be difficult or tiresome to fully understand the grave themes of Lent. Remember to teach the principles of Lent at an age-appropriate level and that children learn best when they are actively participating! Here are ten suggestions for educating your children about Lent. ... ”

“On Monday, February 11th, we will not only celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, but also the World Day of the Sick. Vatican Radio reports that Pope Benedict has sanctioned indulgences for this year's observance: ... ”

“The BSA Executive Board today declined to adopt the proposed change in its national prohibition on participation in Scouting by the homosexually active. However, the Board did not endorse the current prohibition, either. Rather, they decided to continue studying the matter and let the issue be decided at BSA's national meeting of its officers in May. More details are available (http://www.wnd.com/2013/02/gay-campaign-for-boy-scouts-stalls/) here. ... ”

“It seems to me that one of the recurring habits of mankind is to forget the lessons of the past and focus entirely on the present day. In the Church, however, we recognize a wealth of men and women who have reached our ultimate goal of heaven whom we can learn from. Their lives, in various places and times, instruct us (if we are willing to listen) not on how to form a utopia on earth or to achieve status, recognition or wealth, but rather on how to live a life close to God, regardless of the circumstances. ... ”

“Now that the election is behind us, we have been expecting the Obama Administration to attempt to "accommodate" those who object to the coerced provision of contraception and abortifacients as a component of their employee's health insurance coverage. We have been predicting that this would occur by reaching a "compromise" whereby certain institutions run by clergy and even certain service organizations would be exempted from the mandate, but we also predicted that business owners with conscientious objections to the mandate would have no recourse within the Administration's so-called "compromise". Alas, this is precisely what has come to pass. ... ”

“If you have not yet been following the horrific spectacle of the Boy Scouts of America contemplating institutional suicide, please look back over the last several days' posts at (http://www.VeritatisSplendor.com) Veritatis Splendor and take whatever action you can on behalf of sanity. ... ”

“I am a priest at a Catholic parish with a Scout troop and pack, and I have long supported Scouting. But if the Boy Scouts of America goes through with the proposed changes, I would recommend to pastors of Catholic parishes with Scout troops, as well as other Catholic organizations that sponsor troops, that they reorganize under another form. After all, the troops belong to the sponsoring organizations, and thus they can be rechartered under different auspices very easily. And I strongly expect that, if the proposed changes go through, it will not be long before an organization parallel to BSA is formed, as American Heritage Girls was formed in response to some policy changes by the Girl Scouts. In this case, however, due to the dramatic nature of the change, in the worst possible time, i.e. with the intensity of the so-called "culture wars" in this country, the reaction would be much swifter and more broad based. ... ”

“Elsewhere on Veritatis Splendor today, Father Edward Horkan of the Diocese of Arlington (Virginia) (http://www.veritatissplendor.com/soapbox.cfm?act=article&article=154) weighs in on the (http://www.veritatissplendor.com/soapbox.cfm?act=article&article=152) controversial proposal by the Boy Scouts of America, which is considering allowing each chartering organization the discretion to allow participation in Scouting by the heterosexually active. ... ”

“Reports (see yesterday's post at (http://www.VeritatisSplendor.com) VeritatisSplendor.com) that the Boy Scouts are considering allowing homosexually active participants have been attracting widespread attention. Today, we hear from the the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). ... ”